"I want to say one thing about the budget that didn't get passed, the omnibus bill. You know, we talk a lot about -- we just passed this huge tax cut in part because business said, you know, we have to plan, we have to know what kind of tax cuts we have. Well, these agencies, including the Defense Department, don't know how much money they've got and for what...And I was at -- forgive the expression -- a Christmas party at the Department of Justice and people actually (were) really worried about this."

Totenberg's apologetic tone angered many conservative commentators. John Hayward, with the website humanevents.com, writes, "It slanders the spirit of this holiday to suppose its name is a burden non-believers must carry, or a vulgarity sophisticates must apologize for using."

"She didn’t say what she’d prefer for parties this time of the year to be named. 'Winter solstice party'? Just plain old 'holiday party'? Or a 'seasonal gathering'?" asks NewsBusters' Brent Baker.

On examiner.com, Joe Newby adds, "While the incident is not, in and of itself, a major event, it does illustrate how political correctness is destroying civil discourse in America."

What do you think - has it become politically incorrect to say 'Christmas party?' Watch video of Totenberg's remarks and leave your comments below.